Sanitary diaper

ABSTRACT

A folded disposable diaper having an inner absorbent layer and an outer impervious layer both of pliant material with an opening through the absorbent layer for the passage of excretion into a pouch formed by or affixed to the overlying impervious layer, the diaper to be worn by an infant as a garment and having straps that tighten the diaper around the leg openings and tied at the anterior of the infant so as to adjust the diaper as may be desired.

United States Patent [191 Davis et al.

[ June 24, 1975 SANITARY DIAPER [76] inventors: Alwyn K. Davis, 483Massey St.,

Thousand Oaks, Calif. 91360; Ward A. St. John, 58 Farland Dr., NewburyPark, Calif. 91320 [22] Filed: June 29, 1973 21 Appl. No.2 374,939

[52] US. Cl 128/286; 128/287 [51] Int. Cl. A6lf 5/44 [58] Field ofSearch 128/284, 286, 287

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,252,988 8/1941 Segall128/284 2,466,184 4/1949 Riggs 128/287 2,532,029 11/1950 Medoff 128/2873,180,335 4/1965 Duncan et al. 128/287 3,483,864 12/1969 De Zacarias128/284 3,729,004 4/l973 Burger 128/286 Primary ExaminerRichard A.Gaudet Assistant Examiner-Henry S. Layton 5 7 ABSTRACT A foldeddisposable diaper having an inner absorbent layer and an outerimpervious layer both of pliant material with an opening through theabsorbent layer for the passage of excretion into a pouch formed by oraffixed to the overlying impervious layer, the diaper to be worn by aninfant as a garment and having straps that tighten the diaper around theleg openings and tied at the anterior of the infant so as to adjust thediaper as may be desired.

20 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND This invention relates todisposable diapers for use in clothing infants, and for receiving andholding excretion in the form of fluid solids and liquids. Both male andfemale infants have the same general elimination habits and theabsorption and/or collection of feces and urine is essentially the samefor each. That is, the location of the anus and genitals is normallyabout the same, and generally speaking the feces is discharged from thebody posteriorly while the urine is discharged anteriorly. A problemarises, however, with ordinary diapers or clothing, in that thesecretion and often simultaneous discharge of feces and urine results inan obnoxious mixture, all as a result of lack of separation; also the.two are most often inflamatory when left in contact with the infantsskin, and this too is aggrevated by the admixture of the two. Therefore,it is a general object of this invention to provide means in a diaperfor the reception and timely discharge of feces separated from thereception and storage of urine, and to thereby remove the feces as muchas possible from skin contact.

The reception and containment of feces within the confines of a diaperhas been primitive in the past, to say the least, since there has beenno provision for diverting the same away from the infants body. It isthe buttocks of the infant which extend posteriorly from the analopening where the inner thighs come together at the crotch; and thus thedischarge of feces under pressure from the infants body is necessarilylocalized between the cheeks of the buttocks. Therefore, it is an objectof this invention to provide diverting means to the exterior of theaforementioned absorbent layer of the diaper, whereby the fecesexcretion is removed from the infants body to the greatest extentpossible. Naturally, the excrement will remain to some extent betweenthe cheeks of the buttocks, immediate to the anal opening, but inaccordance with this invention and with a reasonable secure diaper, theexcretion of feces will extrude through the diverting means whichprovides a course of least resistance.

It is also an object of this invention to provide for the timely storageof feces separate from urine in a diaper having diverting means for theformer, and to this end we provide chamber means adapted to be filledwith feces entered therein by means of the infants body pressure whichextrudes the feces excrement along the course of least resistance intosaid chamber means for timely storage. With the present invention thechamber means is inflatable and in the form of a pocket at the exteriorof the absorbent layer of the diaper; and in practice, the imperviouslayer coacts with the absorbent layer to establish the chamber means.

It is another object of this invention to provide for the mounting ofthe diaper to the body of the infant as a garment, without the necessityof other fasteners such as safety pins and snaps etc. With the presentinvention we provide separate straps which tighten the diaper around theinfants two legs and waist, and which are trained around the midriff ofthe infants body and tied together with the desired tension for a firmdiaper.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improveddiaper in the form of a garment as hereinabove set forth and which ispractical and inexpensive of manufacture. The diaper exterior istranslucent and the accumulation of feces is externally visible withoutthe usual partial removal and inspection. The usually expected dischargeof feces around the leg openings is virtually eliminated by the leastresistance flow to the exterior of the absorbent layer which thenremains most effective for the collection and storage of urine.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION This is an infants diaper of the disposable typemade of highly absorbent material and of an impervious overlying film.These two materials are related so that the absorbent material hasinterface contact with the body, or skin, of the infant and so that theimpervious film is outside and away from the infants body so as to forma cover. A typical combining of these two materials is shown, whereinthe article is initially pleated with an accordion fold at each marginthereof, the absorbent material being at the inside and the imperforatefilm being at the outside or exterior. The said accordion folds touchtogether longitudinally at the center of the diaper and coextensivelytherewith; they are transversely secured together midway between theends of the diaper so as to prevent unfolding at said center point; andthey are unfoldable at the opposite end portions, the midpoint of thediaper remaining narrow where it is to pass through the crotch while theends are expansible so as to extend around the infants waist.

In accordance with the present invention, we have provided divertingmeans X preferably in the form of a slot through the absorbent innerlayer of the diaper, chamber means Y preferably in the form of aninflatable pocket formed by the impervious film at the exterior of thediaper, and strap means Z that cooperatively tie so as to secure thediaper to the infant as a garment.

DRAWINGS The various objects and features of this invention will befully understood from the following detailed description of the typicalpreferred form and application thereof, throughout which descriptionreference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an infant wearing the sanitary diaper of the presentinvention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sanitary diaper partiallyopened and taken from the interior side thereof. FIG. 3 is an enlargedtransverse sectional view taken through the diaper before its expansioninto form as a garment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the sanitarydiaper as it is initially prepared (before expansion) and taken from theexterior side thereof.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The diaper D is formed generally to two coextensiverectangular sheets of material, a layer of absorbent material 10, suchas highly absorbent textile or paper fibers and a layer of imperviousfilm 1 1 such as an imperforate sheet of pliant plastic, the latterhaving a marginal portion 13 folded under and free of the outermostfolds of material 10, thereby to form an inwardly turned flap-shapedsea] at the leg openings when the diaper is worn. However, this seal isoften insufficient when the diaper is filled with fluid solids, andconsequently it is not uncommon for the excrement to exude from the legopenings due to pressurization caused by confinement. The diaper that wewill now describe relieves the pressure of'these excreted fluid solidswithin the interior confines of the diaper by providing an exteriorreceptacle chamber into which the excrement is transferred and timelystored.

Referring now to the diverting means X, the midpoint of the layers and11 are joined together along a transverse line, as by means of adhesiveapplied continuously or at intervals. In practice, it is sufficient totack the accordion folds 12 together at or near the center of thediaper, indicated at 15, thereby establishing a crotch area 14 that doesnot separate. It is this crotch area that overlies and which will beinherently positioned at or between the anus and genitals of the infant.In accordance with this invention, the diverting means X is an openingthrough the absorbent layer 10 and which extends rearwardly into therear portion or back section a of the diaper. As is best illustrated inFIG. 2 of the drawings, the opening 20 is preferably a slot orslit-shaped opening that extends from the crotch area 14 and along thecenter line of the absorbent layer a substantial distance toward theback edge 21 of the layer 10, and in practice the slot or slit-shapedopening 20 extends throughout about half of said distance. In this orany like manner, the interior of the diaper is open to the exteriorthereof, and any lateral spreading forces that are applied as and whenthe diaper is expanded to surround the buttocks of the infant results ina tendancy or degree of separation of the opening which establishes afree passage for excrement issuing into the area of the slot orslit-shaped opening 20.

Referring now to the chamber means Y, an inflatable pocket 25 is formedat the exterior of the absorbent layer 10 for the reception of excrementdelivered through the opening 20 as above described. The pocket 25 canbe formed in various ways to coextensively overlie the opening 20, andin accordance with the preferred form of this invention involves thecooperative combination of the inner absorbent layer 10 and an outerimpervious layer 11. As is best illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings,the pocket 25 is a chamber formed by the impervious film l1 superimposedoutside the absorbent layer 10, the former being secured to the latterby means of a continuous line of joinder 26 encircling the opening 20.The impervious film 11 of plastic is preferably of translucent materialand the encircling line ofjoinder is indicated by shading in FIG. 4, itbeing understood that any suitable form or process ofjoinder can beemployed as circumstances require. As shown in FIG. 2, the encirclingline of joinder 26 is indicated by a cross-hatched layer of, forexample, adhesive that can be applied to either part 10 or 11 and thetwo parts brought together for attachment. It will be apparent that theinitial preparation of the pocket 25 establishes continuous layers ofmaterial 10 and 11, which are readily separable for inflation whenexcrement is forced through the opening 20 to the exterior of layer 10to occupy and/or fill the chamber means Y.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the two aforementioned meanspressures and Y are provided with out additions to the elements 10 and11 as they are commonly employed in the manufacture of disposablediapers. However, several distinct and novel features are employed asherein described to provide for the separation of feces and passagethereof to the exterior of the absorbent layer 10 to be stored withinthe impervious layer 11. The diverting means X takes form in the slot orslit-shaped opening which affords a course of least resistance and whichtends to be self-closing when spreading strains are removed from thediaper. That is, the absorbent layer 10 is of substantial thickness andhas opposite faces that re-seal when the diaper straightens as a resultof removal from the infant. The chamber means Y takes form as a storagereceptacle for fluid solids and is spacious as is indicated; thepressres remaining in substantial equilibrium at the interior andexterior of the distended impervious film 11, causing inward force whichmaintains body contact of the absorbent layer 10 with the skin of theinfant. Therefore, a distensible film 11 is employed which stretchessubstantially for accomodation of excrement of variable volume whilemaintaining body contact of the absorbent layer 10.

Referring now to the strap means Z, a pair of like straps 30 areprovided to project from the front end 22 of the diaper and each ofwhich is adapted to be passed through an opening 31 at complementaryopposite corners of the other back end 21 of the diaper. As is bestillustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the strap 30 at one side of thediaper is passed through the opening 31 at that side of the diaper; andsubsequent to this process with each strap 30 the free ends thereof arebrought together and tied at the front and adjustably tightened as maybe desired.

In accordance with this invention, economy of manufacture is realized bypreparing a single strap element as shown in FIG. 4, employing anelongated strip or ribbon 35 of said material or film and preferably thesame material that is used for the film 11. As shown, the midportion 36of the strip is disposed transversely and secured to the exterior frontportion of the film 11 as by heat welding the plastic, or chemicallywith solvents or adhesives. The opposite ends of the ribbon are free soas to establish oppositely extending straps 30. The openings 31 areformed of like strips or ribbons of plastic folded back and secured toitself to form loops entered into or between the confines of the foldedmargins 13, the margins being heat welded or tacked together by means ofadhesive at 36 (indicated by shading) in order to retain the loops inworking position.

With the sanitary diaper fabricated as hereinabove disclosed, economy ofmanufacture is realized by supplying the certain novel features to thecommonly accepted major elements. These certain features reside in thediverting means X and chamber means Y by which the fluid solid excrementis channeled away from the infants body while exposure of the absorbentinner layer is augmented for receiving and storing liquid discharges.The outer film 11 is impervious and translucently shows the presence ofconfined fluids entered into the pocket 25, and also closes off theodors. As and when the diaper is removed, substantially all or thegreater portion of excrement will be contained within the pocket 25 andcleaning of the infant minimized. Facility of storage and removal ismade with the soft pliable straps Z which are inexpensive additions tothe structure which more than offset the cost of added elements such ashardward type fasteners.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of ourinvention, we do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specificdetails herein set forth, but wish to reserve to ourselves anymodifications or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art:

We claim:

1. A sanitary diaper having an inner absorbent layer and a contiguouslyoverlying and impervious outer layer, and including a normally closedslit-shaped excrement diverting opening through the inner absorbentlayer to be spread by and to pass fluid excrement from the interior tothe exterior of the inner absorbent layer for containment within theconfines of said impervious outer layer.

2. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 1 wherein the saidimpervious outer layer is translucent for visibly showing thecontainment of excrement thereby.

3. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 1 wherein the openingthrough the inner absorbent layer is positioned at the discharge ofexcrement when the diaper is worm as a garment. 4. The sanitary diaperas set forth in claim 1 wherein the excrement diverting opening extendsrearwardly from the crotch area when the diaper is worn as a garment.

5. A sanitary diaper having'an inner absorbent layer and a contiguouslyoverlying and impervious outer layer, and including; a normally closedslit-shaped excrement diverting opening through the inner absorbentlayer to be spread by and to pass fluid excrement from the interior tothe exterior of the inner absorbent layer, and a chamber means at theexterior of the inner absorbent layer for receiving and containing saidfluid excrement passed through said excrement diverting opening.

6. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 5 wherein the chamber meansis a pocket overlying the absorbent layer and the diverting openingtherethrough.

7. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 5 wherein the chamber meansis a pocket of said impervious layer overlying the absorbent layer andthe excrement diverting opening therethrough.

8. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 5 wherein the chamber meansis a pocket of said impervious layer overlying the absorbent layer andthe excrement diverting opening therethrough, said impervious outerlayer being translucent for visibly showing the containment of excrementthereby.

9. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 5 wherein the chamber meansis a pocket attachment of said impervious layer to said absorbent layerand overlying the same and the excrement diverting opening therethrough.

10. the sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 5 wherein the chambermeans is a pocket attachment of said impervious layer to said absorbentlayer and encircling and overlying the same and the excrement divertingopening therethrough.

11. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 5 wherein the chambermeans is a pocket encirclement attaching the impervious layer to saidabsorbent layer around the same and the excrement diverting openingtherethrough.

12. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 5 wherein the chambermeans is a pocket encirclement by a seam of joinder to the imperviouslayer surrounding the excrement diverting opening.

13. A sanitary diaper having an inner absorbent layer and a contiguouslyoverlying and impervious outer layer and including; a normally closedslit-shaped excrement diverting opening through the inner absorbentlayer to be spread by and to pass fluid excrement from the interior tothe exterior thereof, and a chamber means overlying the excrementdiverting opening at the exterior of the inner absorbent layer forreceiving and containing said fluid excrement passed through saiddiverting means.

14. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 13, wherein the chambermeans is a pocket of said impervious layer overlying the absorbent layerand the excrement diverting opening therethrough.

15. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 13 wherein the chambermeans is a pocket attachment of said impervious layer to said absorbentlayer and encircling the slit-shaped opening.

16. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 13 wherein the excrementdiverting opening extends rearwardly from the crotch area when thediaper is worn as a garment, and wherein the chamber means is a pocketattachment of said impervious layer to said absorbent layer andencircling and overlying the absorbent layer and the excrement divertingopening therethrough.

17. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 13 wherein the excrementdiverting opening extends rearwardly from the crotch area when thediaper is worn as a garment, and wherein the chamber means is a pocketencirclement attaching the impervious layer to said absorbent layeraround the excrement diverting opening.

18. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 13, wherein the excrementdiverting opening extends rearwardly from the crotch area when thediaper is worn as a garment, and wherein the chamber means is a pocketencirclement by a seam of joinder to the impervious layer surroundingthe excrement diverting opening.

19. A sanitary diaper having initially pleated inner absorbent andcontiguous outer impervious and normally detached layers, with oppositeinwardly folded side margins outwardly refolded along the center of thediaper and each having edges at the opposite sides of the diaperrespectively, and including; a normally closed slit-shaped excrementdiverting opening in the center of the absorbent layer to be spread byand to pass fluid excrement from the interior to the exterior of theinner absorbent layer for containment within the confines of saidimpervious outer layer.

20. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 1 wherein the excrementdiverting opening extends rearwardly from the crotch area when thediaper is worn as a gar-

1. A sanitary diaper having an inner absorbent layer and a contiguouslyoverlying and impervious outer layer, and including a normally closedslit-shaped excrement diverting opening through the inner absorbentlayer to be spread by and to pass fluid excrement from the interior tothe exterior of the inner absorbent layer for containment within theconfines of said impervious outer layer.
 2. The sanitary diaper as setforth in claim 1 wherein the said impervious outer layer is translucentfor visibly showing the containment of excrement thereby.
 3. Thesanitary diaper as set forth in claim 1 wherein the opening through theinner absorbent layer is positioned at the discharge of excrement whenthe diaper is worm as a garment.
 4. The sanitary diaper as set forth inclaim 1 wherein the excrement diverting opening extends rearwardly fromthe crotch area when the diaper is worn as a garment.
 5. A sanitarydiaper having an inner absorbent layer and a contiguously overlying andimperVious outer layer, and including; a normally closed slit-shapedexcrement diverting opening through the inner absorbent layer to bespread by and to pass fluid excrement from the interior to the exteriorof the inner absorbent layer, and a chamber means at the exterior of theinner absorbent layer for receiving and containing said fluid excrementpassed through said excrement diverting opening.
 6. The sanitary diaperas set forth in claim 5 wherein the chamber means is a pocket overlyingthe absorbent layer and the diverting opening therethrough.
 7. Thesanitary diaper as set forth in claim 5 wherein the chamber means is apocket of said impervious layer overlying the absorbent layer and theexcrement diverting opening therethrough.
 8. The sanitary diaper as setforth in claim 5 wherein the chamber means is a pocket of saidimpervious layer overlying the absorbent layer and the excrementdiverting opening therethrough, said impervious outer layer beingtranslucent for visibly showing the containment of excrement thereby. 9.The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 5 wherein the chamber means isa pocket attachment of said impervious layer to said absorbent layer andoverlying the same and the excrement diverting opening therethrough. 10.the sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 5 wherein the chamber means isa pocket attachment of said impervious layer to said absorbent layer andencircling and overlying the same and the excrement diverting openingtherethrough.
 11. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 5 whereinthe chamber means is a pocket encirclement attaching the imperviouslayer to said absorbent layer around the same and the excrementdiverting opening therethrough.
 12. The sanitary diaper as set forth inclaim 5 wherein the chamber means is a pocket encirclement by a seam ofjoinder to the impervious layer surrounding the excrement divertingopening.
 13. A sanitary diaper having an inner absorbent layer and acontiguously overlying and impervious outer layer and including; anormally closed slit-shaped excrement diverting opening through theinner absorbent layer to be spread by and to pass fluid excrement fromthe interior to the exterior thereof, and a chamber means overlying theexcrement diverting opening at the exterior of the inner absorbent layerfor receiving and containing said fluid excrement passed through saiddiverting means.
 14. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 13,wherein the chamber means is a pocket of said impervious layer overlyingthe absorbent layer and the excrement diverting opening therethrough.15. The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 13 wherein the chambermeans is a pocket attachment of said impervious layer to said absorbentlayer and encircling the slit-shaped opening.
 16. The sanitary diaper asset forth in claim 13 wherein the excrement diverting opening extendsrearwardly from the crotch area when the diaper is worn as a garment,and wherein the chamber means is a pocket attachment of said imperviouslayer to said absorbent layer and encircling and overlying the absorbentlayer and the excrement diverting opening therethrough.
 17. The sanitarydiaper as set forth in claim 13 wherein the excrement diverting openingextends rearwardly from the crotch area when the diaper is worn as agarment, and wherein the chamber means is a pocket encirclementattaching the impervious layer to said absorbent layer around theexcrement diverting opening.
 18. The sanitary diaper as set forth inclaim 13, wherein the excrement diverting opening extends rearwardlyfrom the crotch area when the diaper is worn as a garment, and whereinthe chamber means is a pocket encirclement by a seam of joinder to theimpervious layer surrounding the excrement diverting opening.
 19. Asanitary diaper having initially pleated inner absorbent and contiguousouter impervious and normally detached layers, with opposite inwardlyfolded side margins outwardly refolded along the center of the diaperand each having eDges at the opposite sides of the diaper respectively,and including; a normally closed slit-shaped excrement diverting openingin the center of the absorbent layer to be spread by and to pass fluidexcrement from the interior to the exterior of the inner absorbent layerfor containment within the confines of said impervious outer layer. 20.The sanitary diaper as set forth in claim 1 wherein the excrementdiverting opening extends rearwardly from the crotch area when thediaper is worn as a garment.